A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for placing a sheet of glass in a glass frame, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically placing a sheet of glass in a glass frame.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for automatic part moving devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described below. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure, and/or operation, and/or purpose from the present invention, in that they do not teach an apparatus and method for automatically placing a sheet of glass in a glass frame.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,374 to Focke.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,374 issued to Focke on Jul. 17, 1990 in class 83 and subclass 13 teaches that in loading of pallets with cartons arranged in layers, intermediate layers including paper or the like frequently have to be introduced between the carton layers. The pallets are loaded by a palletizer, which is known for these purposes, and which has a pivotable and multiply bendable cantilever arm. The intermediate layers are laid onto the carton layers by this cantilever arm with a suction holder. At the same time, portions of a continuous web of material running off from a reel are drawn onto the completed carton layer and then severed to the correct size from the web of material.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,275 to Reid et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,275 issued to Reid et al. on Dec. 18, 1990 in class 414 and subclass 789 teaches a palletizer for receiving successive groups of articles in a pattern forming area and transferring the groups in succession to a stacking area on a pallet. A servo-controlled sweep system transfers article groups from the pattern forming to the stacking area for stacking one group on top of the other as the pallet is indexed downward by a hoist system after each successive group. A carriage system interleaves separator sheets between successive groups. A programmable logic controller controls the servo-controlled sweep system in accordance with a velocity characteristic designed to increase machine speed and efficiency.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,254 to Becicka et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,254 issued to Becicka et al. on Mar. 24, 1992 in class 414 and subclass 792.9 teaches a robotic palletizer including a vertical column, a telescoping horizontal arm mounted for vertical movement along the column, and a hand assembly mounted at the end of the horizontal arm. A pair of photodetectors—movable with the hand assembly—sense the presence and location of cartons in place on a pallet being loaded and signal the palletizer when the vertical height and horizontal extension of the hand assembly are sufficient to place cartons in the proper position for loading onto the pallet. A circuit controls operation of the palletizer in accordance with the sizes and shapes of the cartons and pallets and permits limited variation of the loading pattern provided by the palletizer. Separate conveyors transport cartons to the palletizer for loading and remove loaded pallets from the palletizer upon completion of the loading cycle.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,616 to Perobelli et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,616 issued to Perobelli et al. on Apr. 16, 1996 in class 414 and subclass 789.5 teaches palletization of packs of sheets, books, or the like being carried out through the conveyance of the packs by a roller assembly formed by powered rollers in a programmed way stopping certain rollers beneath those packs that are to be stopped in a programmed position and through the transfer and the putting down of the first row of packs on a palletization stand together with the picking up and the putting down of a separating sheet on every complete layer of packs formed on the palletization stand.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for automatic part moving devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, an apparatus and method for automatically placing a sheet of glass in a glass frame.